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2020 GMC Sierra 1500: engine failure

86 of the 484 complaints about the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 describe engine failure.

owner complaints
86
of this car's complaints
18%
typical repair cost reported
$11,000
typical mileage
45,000
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 372 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Engine failure by model year

What owners say

Filed Oct 28, 2026 · Engine · AR

6.2 liter engine failed at 59,300 miles. Being replaced right now with remanufactured engine. 2020 GMC Sierra is not part of recall but others have had problems as well

Filed Oct 23, 2026 · Engine, Steering · MN

This morning it seems as if my 6.2L GM motor threw a rod. All the initial sounds and check engine information point toward that. I will be taking it to a dealer to confirm the issue. Data center driving ability and sounds indicate steering was affected as well or is somehow connected.

Filed Oct 15, 2026 · Engine · NY

Driving down road started to hear a weird growling knocking sound and noticed a reduction of power. also noticed lower then normal oil pressure. Changed oil found metal shavings in the oil. sent to chevy dealership. Diagnosed "rod bearing failure" needs new engine.

Filed Oct 5, 2026 · Engine · NC

My 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT with the 6.2L L87 engine experienced complete engine failure at approximately 129,000 miles. The vehicle is currently at Trent Cadillac GMC in New Bern, NC and is available for inspection upon request. The dealer confirmed the engine requires replacement along with timing-chain-related repairs, estimated at approximately $11,000. Before the failure, I had previously reported concerns involving oil pressure/engine operation to a Chevrolet dealer. At one visit, the dealer documented that it could not duplicate the oil-pressure concern. The vehicle was later serviced again, but the problem ultimately progressed to complete engine failure. When the truck arrived at Trent after the failure, no oil registered on the dipstick. This presents a safety concern because sudden engine failure and loss of power can leave a driver unable to maintain normal vehicle operation or safely exit traffic, particularly at highway speeds. After the failure, the truck was evaluated by Big Boys in Grimesland, NC and then towed to Trent Cadillac GMC for authorized GM dealer diagnosis. GM Customer Care has also reviewed my case. I am concerned this failure may be related to known failure patterns involving GM 6.2L L87 engines and internal engine components. Although my 2020 model is outside the current recall population, it experienced complete engine failure after earlier oil-pressure concerns. I am requesting this failure be documented and evaluated as a potential safety defect, including whether earlier-model L87 engines may experience similar failure mechanisms.

Filed Sep 30, 2026 · Engine · MA

The engine blew up driving down the road 5k miles past warranty. Complete junk and had to pay for a new one. They would only put in another defective 6.2 gmc engine and it will fail again

Filed Sep 19, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · NC

Vehicle: 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT VIN: 3GTU9DEL5LG340438 Engine: 6.2L V8, RPO L87 Mileage: approximately 129,854 miles My 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 experienced an engine failure and has been diagnosed as needing an engine replacement. I am reporting this because my vehicle is equipped with the same L87 6.2L engine currently being investigated by the federal safety agency under Engineering Analysis EA25007 for engine failures occurring outside the scope of Recall 25V‑274. My model year is not currently included in Recall 25V‑274. However, EA25007 specifically addresses L87 engine failures occurring outside the existing recall population, including 2019–2024 GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. GM also issued Preliminary Information bulletin PIP5900, “Diagnostic Tips for Seized Engine or Engine Noise,” applicable to 2019–2023 GMC Sierra vehicles equipped with the 6.2L L87 engine, which identifies possible crankshaft bearing failure. I am requesting that this engine failure be documented as part of the federal safety agency's ongoing investigation of L87 engine failures outside Recall 25V‑274.

Filed Sep 8, 2026 · Engine · PA

I was driving on the highway at 70mph when out of no where my truck stopped running and I received a message warning to put the truck in neutral and restart the engine. It was very alarming being on the highway and this happening. I was unable to restart the vehicle so I had to coast and navigate us at high speed to the should of the highway. Since it was Labor day I had to sit for over 4 hours before getting a tow vehicle at 2am to tow my truck to [XXX] FLOW Buick GMC. They contacted me and told me that my engine had seized and that it was possible bearings or something that made it seize and I need a whole new engine. They quoted me $12,500. I have not done anything yet in repairs and I now contacted GM and submitted a Case #XXX. I notified them I am aware of the known issue and the GM service bulletin PIP5900. I am waiting for them to respond now. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 26, 2026 · Engine · VA

On XXX my GMC 6.2L Sierra 1500 Denali engine cutoff in Traffic and had to be towed. There was no indications prior to failure. Found out after replacing battery that the 400amp fuse blew and the engine seized. Vehicle was then towed to Hendrick Buick GMC dealer in [XXX] for repair. My engine has 49,500 miles but is out of warranty due to time. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 26, 2026 · Engine · NC

Misfire on 2 cylinder, noise on start up diagnostic code P0300 P0302 P050 I was driving home and the engine started making a strange sound, vehicle would could no increase speed normally. The dealership did basic analysis from the onboard computer and did a compression test. Heavy knocking sound on passenger side of the engine. The issue happened on Aug 5th 2026. The issue is due to the AFM that causes the lifter to fail and dealership says I need a new engine $15787 or replace cam shaft $14530.

Filed Aug 24, 2026 · Engine · FL

I purchased my 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 with the L87 6.2L V8 new from a GMC dealer in March 2020 for $65,910 (VIN [XXX]). The truck has primarily highway mileage, very little towing, and has been well maintained. At 166,634 miles on [XXX], the truck developed a flashing check-engine light. The GMC dealer diagnosed “Cyl 3 lifter failure with camshaft damage” and determined that replacing the engine was preferable to repairing it because of the vehicle's mileage. The dealer installed a replacement OEM GMC engine and replaced both broken engine mounts. The replacement engine and installation cost $11,778. The replacement engine has subsequently required multiple repairs. At approximately 170,411 miles, the GMC dealer documented an exhaust leak that had occurred since the engine repair and a coolant leak from the upper radiator hose; both were repaired. At approximately 187,699 miles, the truck experienced overheating, coolant leakage, and loud engine-area noise. The dealer found that the water pump was coming apart and replaced the water pump and related components. I am reporting this vehicle because it is a 2020 Sierra equipped with the L87 6.2L engine and experienced catastrophic lifter/camshaft failure requiring complete engine replacement, followed by multiple engine-related repairs. I believe this history is relevant to the federal safety agency's investigation of L87 engine failures in earlier model years and warrants consideration when evaluating whether the known L87 engine defect extends beyond the vehicles currently covered by the recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 24, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · TX

Our 2020 GMC SIERRA 1500 has suffered catastrophic systems and engine failure including the brakes multiple times for almost 4 years. It has happened in high traffic and on the interstate each time having to be coasted off of the road to come to a rolling stop. There have been nine repair attempts with GM dealers repeatedly stating the issues were repaired and returning our vehicle to us. We began making the CEO and Executive team aware of the potentially deadly safety hazards including the fact that I, [XXX] am disabled and power wheelchair dependent requiring a truck that can carry my power wheelchair. We have sent numerous emails to Ms. [XXX] and the Executive team numerous times informing them in detail, each time, of all issues involved. We started communicating via phone and email with customer care to no avail. All attempts at repair finally ended in complete engine failure leaving us with an estimate to replace the engine of over $13,000. We have also, submitted a detailed complaint to the Attorney General’s Office and after review were given the Case # TCP - XXX. I will attach the Complaint and Addendum sent to the Attorney General along with two of the emails sent to Ms. [XXX] and her team informing her of all issues with the truck. They took no action to actually help us get this truck off of the road knowing it was having catastrophic engine and system failure and that it had to be driven to transport a disabled power wheel dependent with severe medical issues and the medically necessary power wheelchair. I am also attaching the earliest OnStar Diagnostic notice of Engine, Transmission and Emissions system issues from May of 2023. The issues have remained the same from the beginning only worsening though my husband has only driven the truck in town on slower less busy streets learning how to make adjustments such as pumping the brakes and starting and stopping the truck to keep it going. My carrier is installed and yet it is undrivable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO

Filed Aug 24, 2026 · Driver assistance, Engine · GA · crash

Piston 5 dropped compression to 120 the rest were 190-200. The engine failed therefore none of my parking assist sensors were working and I backed into a car because the truck was misfiring.

Questions about the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 engine failure

Is engine failure a common problem on the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500?

86 of 484 owner complaints about the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 (18%) mention engine failure. The model year with the most reports is 2019.

How much does it cost to fix engine failure on the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $11,000 (median of 19 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500?

There are 0 recalls and 372 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500

Check engine light 85Loss of power 54Knocking 50Misfire 26Transmission failure 20Won't shift 19Stalling 18Power steering loss 15Won't start 15Brake failure 14Warning lights 12ABS 11Fuel pump 11Harsh shifting 11Shudder 11Backup camera 10Jerking 10Oil consumption 10Ball joint 9Fire or smoke 9Hesitation 9Adaptive cruise 7Water leak 7Headlights 5

All model years of the GMC Sierra 1500

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